arid, dry; to oppose; to offend; to invade3 strokes · Radical: 十
干 vs 千: How to Tell Them Apart
CHARACTERS AT A GLANCE
干gàn · arid, dry; to oppose; to offend; to invade
千qiān · thousand; many, numerous; very
01 · SEE THE DIFFERENCE
What changes on the left side of each character?
Dark red marks the deciding detail
VS
Play each character and compare the highlighted details.
thousand; many, numerous; very3 strokes · Radical: 十
Why the difference is easy to miss
干 and 千 share an outline that is easy to read too quickly.
干 begins with a horizontal stroke; 千 begins with a left-falling 丿 above 十. At a glance, that shared shape can make the first horizontal of 干 and the first left-falling stroke of 千 easy to overlook.
Check the shape first, then confirm with the word.
If the surrounding word or meaning conflicts with the character you first recognized, re-check the first stroke.
Choose the right character.
Which character means thousand?
Choose one answer.Which character begins with a horizontal?
Choose one answer.Which character begins with 丿?
Choose one answer.How do I tell 干 vs 千 apart?
干 begins with a horizontal stroke; 千 begins with a left-falling 丿 above 十. The lower vertical is similar, so identify the first stroke before reading the whole form. Then confirm with meaning/context.
What should I check when these characters appear in words?
Use meaning as the second route after visual discrimination: 干 = oppose, offend; 千 = thousand. If the surrounding word or meaning conflicts with the character you first recognized, re-check the first stroke.